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Thursday, November 6, 2008

Religious symbols, icons, or signs can be found in surprisingly numerous numbers in Bali. Surprisingly? Since they are perfectly interwoven in everyday Balinese life, one hardly realizes their existence. Some religious symbol can easily be recognized, for example Rerajahan. Rerajahan is the most obvious and easily recognized Balinese religious symbol.Rerajahan is a drawing of sacred characters or images on a piece of cloth, metal plate, pottery, leaf, fruit, wood, weapon, basket or skin. The drawing of the rerajahan can be categorized into 11 groups:1. Drawing of holy characters (vijaksara) or short incantation2. Drawing of sun, star or moon combines with holy characters3. Drawing of flower, especially lotus flower with holy characters on its petals4. Drawing of animals such as tiger, crocodile, lion, snake or dragon5. Drawing of human or part of human body6. Drawing of distorted human body such as human with animal head, animal with human head, or human without head7. Drawing of gods and goddesses, with their weapons and vehicles.8. Drawing of distorted gods or goddesses or in their angry personifications.9. Drawing of gods’ weapons combines with holy characters.10. Drawing of demons, spirit or strange creatures; sometimes equipped with their weapons.11. Drawing of sacred buildingsRerajahan serves various purposes range from inviting the gods to descend to mortal world to harming or killing the enemy. Basically, the functions of rerajahan can be categorized as follow1. to get protection and magical power from the god that is drawn in the rerajahan for example the power to prevent rain2. to purify the body and soul3. to enhance the spiritual power of someone or something4. to get a unique talent or power, for example ability to run fast or can not be seen5. to get sympathy or admiration from other6. to drive away pestilence, or bad luck7. to protect the house compound, rice field, village or children8. to prevent or negate physical or magical attack from the enemy9. to harm or kill the enemy

In order to fulfill these various functions the rerajahan have to be invested with a power. A powerful rerajahan is made on an auspicious day with specific offerings and of course a qualified rerajahan maker. After the drawing process is finished the rerajahan is invested with magical power by its maker by using Pasupati mantra (pasupati incantation).